The Best Coconut Cream Pie

This is the best coconut cream pie recipe! It can be made with a pie crust or graham cracker crust, and the filling is super silky, perfectly coconut-y, and so delicious.

One reader, Betsy, commented: I made this pie today because I wanted to make something especially delicious for a special occasion. It was a HIT! My aunt said it was the best pie she’s ever had. I couldn’t believe it. Truly fantastic!

Key Ingredients for Coconut Cream Pie Filling

The homemade pudding in this coconut cream pie is super creamy and silky smooth, and it has maximum coconut flavor!

• Coconut milk: The recipe calls for canned full-fat coconut milk (often found in the Asian foods aisle). Don’t use refrigerated coconut milk, cream of coconut or coconut cream – the filling may not thicken and may be too sweet or not sweet enough. 
• Half-and-half: Half-and-half adds the perfect rich creaminess to the filling. You can sub in half heavy cream/half milk for the half-and-half.
• Egg yolks: Using just the yolks and not the whites deepens the color, richness, and flavor of the pudding.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar works best in this recipe.
• Cornstarch: This is the thickening agent for the pudding. Once large bubbles pop at the surface, cook for one full minute, stirring constantly, so the pudding sets up properly once chilled.
• Butter: Adding just a tablespoon of butter to the cooked pudding gives the pudding a silky smooth finish.
• Extracts: Vanilla extract and coconut extract are called for in the recipe. Don’t skip either! Both add necessary flavor.
• Toasted coconut: The toasted coconut can be stirred into the pudding or added on top of the whipped cream (or both). I prefer the pudding without toasted coconut stirred in.

How to Toast Coconut: spread unsweetened or lightly sweetened shredded coconut on a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 4 to 5 minutes. Add time as needed, and watch closely so it doesn’t burn!

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie

1. Choose which crust to use in the pie (more on that below! ⬇️), bake it, and let it cool completely.
2. Make the pudding filling by combining all the pudding ingredients except for the butter and extracts in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
3. Strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. This eliminates small or big lumps that can form during cooking.
4. Stir in the butter and extracts.
5. Spread the pudding in the cooled crust. Cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly to the surface so a skin doesn’t form over the pudding) and chill.
6. Top the pie with sweetened whipped cream and toasted coconut and serve.

This coconut cream pie is best served chilled.

Pie Crust Options

Coconut cream pie purists may tell you that this pie must be served in a classic pie crust – one that has been blind-baked and cooled.

However, may I entice you to try the deliciousness of coconut cream pie in a graham cracker crust? Once I tried it this way, there was no going back. The luscious, creamy filling pairs perfectly with the buttery, sweet graham crust. Wow, it is so, so good!

Just remember that you have crust options: classic pie crust or graham cracker crust. Choose wisely!

Make-Ahead Tips

Coconut cream pie is an excellent pie to make in advance! Here’s how to make it ahead of time:

• Spread the pudding in the pie crust.
• Cover directly with plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming).
• Refrigerate for up to two days.
• Toast the coconut, let it cool, and store in a covered container or sealed bag at room temperature for up to a week.
• Up to two hours ahead of serving, make the sweetened whipped cream.
• Top the pie with the whipped cream and toasted coconut and serve chilled.

The Best Coconut Cream Pie

Yield: 8 Servings (One 9 or 10-inch pie)

Prep Time: 45 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Chilling Time: 4 hours hrs

Total Time: 5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

4.76 stars (178 ratings)

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Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 1 ½ cups (155 g) graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon (9 g) flour (optional – helps bind crust)
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter, melted

Coconut Cream Pie:

• 1 can (13.6 ounces) full-fat coconut milk (see note)
• 1 ¼ cups (303 g) half-and-half (see note)
• ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (50 g) cornstarch
• 3 large (48 g) egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Whipped Cream + Coconut:

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (85 g) toasted coconut (see note)

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, in a medium bowl, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and flour (if using). Add the butter and stir until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumbs evenly in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• For the pudding, in a medium saucepan, add the coconut milk, half-and-half, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks and salt. Whisk until well-combined.
• Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once large bubbles pop on the surface, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for one full minute (moderate the heat if the pudding is sticking to the bottom of the pan). The mixture should be thickened to the consistency of soft-set pudding. It will thicken more as it cools.
• Strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add the butter, vanilla extract and coconut extract to the pudding. Stir until the butter and extracts are fully combined into the pudding. OPTIONAL: Stir 3/4 cup toasted coconut into the pudding – otherwise leave it out and sprinkle it on top of the pie in a later step.
• Spread the pudding in the cooled crust. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours until fully chilled.
• For the whipped cream, in a blender or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Process or mix on low speed until thickened.
• Spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie and top with toasted coconut. Serve the pie chilled.

Notes

Crust: In place of the graham cracker crust, you can use a fully baked (blind-baked) and cooled 9-inch regular pie crust. 

Coconut Milk: The recipe calls for canned full-fat coconut milk (often found in the Asian foods aisle). Don’t use reduced fat coconut milk, refrigerated coconut milk, cream of coconut or coconut cream. 

Half-and-half: Instead of measuring the half-and-half separately, you can pour the coconut milk into a 4-cup liquid measure and add half-and-half (or heavy cream) until it equals 3 cups. 

Coconut: To toast the coconut, spread unsweetened or lightly sweetened shredded coconut on a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 4 to 5 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn!

UPDATES: This recipe was originally published in 2009; over the years, I’ve made a few updates to make it a bit more simple and straightforward. I also added 1 tablespoon butter to the pudding mixture – this creates a rich silkiness, but you can leave it out if you prefer the original recipe.

Author: Mel

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Method: Bake, Stovetop

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 561kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 318mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 29g

Recommended Products

9-inch Pie Plate

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Wire Whisk

Pie Recipe Source: Aunt Marilyn
Crust Recipe Source: adapted from ATK’s Family Baking Handbook

Recipe originally published September 2009; updated November 2025 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.

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